The Minions are clocking in for a very different kind of job this summer.
Instead of serving a single supervillain, the bright yellow troublemakers are stepping into the spotlight of early Hollywood in Minions & Monsters, a new chapter that sends them chasing cinematic fame — and unleashing chaos along the way.
According to Variety, Universal Pictures debuted the first trailer for Minions & Monsters during the Super Bowl, confirming the film as the seventh entry in the long-running Despicable Me universe.
Set for a July 2026 release, the movie functions as the third standalone Minions installment and follows 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru. This time around, the story swaps swinging ’70s swagger for the glitz, grime, and ambition of 1920s Hollywood.
Rather than acting as Gru’s loyal henchmen, the Minions strike out on their own with a bold idea: make a monster movie. Their mission quickly spirals into a globe-trotting hunt for creatures scary enough to become on-screen villains.
Along the way, the trailer teases encounters with a grumpy sea beast, an oversized pink bunny with a mean streak, and a mummy whose bandages are accidentally unraveled — bones and all.
A small green creature joins the group, becoming an unlikely collaborator as the Minions attempt to turn mayhem into movie magic.
Behind the scenes, Minions & Monsters brings back familiar creative voices. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri produces alongside Bill Ryan, who previously served as an executive producer on The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Brian Lynch, a longtime writer within the Illumination fold, penned the script, while Pierre Coffin returns to direct. Coffin has been instrumental to the franchise since its inception, directing multiple Despicable Me and Minions films and voicing the Minions since their debut in 2010.
The franchise remains a proven box-office heavyweight. Despicable Me 4 opened to $230 million globally in 2024, and the series has now generated more than $5 billion worldwide over 15 years.
Past Fourth of July releases have consistently delivered, with Minions: The Rise of Gru earning $125 million over the holiday weekend, following strong debuts for Despicable Me 3 and Despicable Me 2 in earlier years.
